Duopneumatic handle for airmethod cleaners



Aug. 13,1940; D. B. gamm 2210952 nuorusun'ric HANDLE FOR AIR-METHOD CLEANERS Fiied Aug. 1 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0. B. fPep/bg/e,

Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES DUOPNEUMA'I'IC HANDLE FOR. AIR- METHOD CLEANERS Daniel Benson ReplogldlBerkeley, Caiif., assignor to The Ohio Citizens Trust Company, as

trustee, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 12,

' 10 Claims.

The invention relates to cleaning apparatus and more particularly to portable electric suction cleaners of the air-method typewherein air may be drawn from either of two different 5 sources accordingto the position of a valve car'- ried by thecleaner.

One of the objects of the invention is to im prove and simplify the operation of the valve.

Another object is to improve and simplify the construction of the casing which houses the power plant and air filtering apparatus.

Another object is to provide means whereby the flow of dust may be more conveniently observed by the operator of the cleaning apparatus.

15 Other objects and .advantageswiil be apparent from the further detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which is set forth for purposes of illustration, a specific embodiment of the inventive thought.

In the drawings:'

' Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cleaner embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view partlyin elevation and partly in section showing the upper portion of the cleaner including the means for operating the valve from a movable portion of the handle.

Fig. 3 is a view looking down on the valve cap parts being shown in plan and parts in section.

Fig. 4 is' a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion ofthe cleaner from a different angle from that shown in Fig. 2, theswinging handle grip being shown in two different positions. a

Fig. 6 is a perspective view looking down on the top of the cleaner as the same would be viewed by the operator.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentaryside elevation of the upper portion of the cleaner showing the bag partly removed.

- Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing thecleaner used in invertedpositionu Fig. 9 is a side view showing the cleaner supported in upright position by a wall bracket.

Fig. 10 is a detail showing a link for operating 45 the controlling valve.

The cleaner comprises in general a body portion A which includes suction producing and air filtering means together with the housing therefor, and a valve 3 adapted to control the direc 0 tion ofthe dust laden air into the body portion from a swinging handle section 0 or from a fixed pipe section D which may be connected to a floor tool, according to the angular position of the pipe section C.

The body portion Acomprises a caddy, casing 1936, Serial No. 95,609

or barrel III which housesthe suction producing and air filteringmeans. This housing may be composed of'hard fiber or of plastic material such as Bakelite or may be formed of light metal such as aluminum. However a non-conducting g material'is preferred and according to the specific embodiment of the invention herein set forth it is intended that hard fiber be utilized. As shown the caddy includes sections l I and I2 housing the power plant and the filtering means re- 10 spectively and a top member I! in the form of a ring or chime having openings which communicate with pipe sections C and D.

The ends of the member I! are shown as expanded and fitted over the members II and I3.

Where fiber is employed this may be accomplished by first soaking and thereby expanding the ends of the fiber tube i2 after which the same is allowed todry and contract over the adjacent sections as set forth in my application 1 Serial No. 586,192 filed January 12, 1932, now Patent No. 2,142,149. I

At a suitable location above the power plant, preferably at the junction between sections ll and 12 a hinged and collapsible support it is shown attached to the caddy, such support being provided with rollers l5. This support may be -of the type disclosed and specifically claimed in my application Serial No. 94,653 filed August 6,

Within the section I I the suction producing 80 means or power plant is housed. This may be'of the multiple unit type which includes two or more 'motors preferably operating in opposite directions about their common axis and one or more fans driven by each motor, a convenient arrangement being disclosed in my application Serial No. 64,420 filed February 17, 1936, now Patent No. 2,175,641. The lowerend of the caddy is preferablyclosed by a cap I6 having lateral outlets I'I each of 40 which is suificient to carry the entire output. Either may be plugged and a blower pipe attached to the other. The outlets are preferably of the same size so that the plug employed may be interchangeable. I

Current is supplied to the power plant by means of a conductor cordv it carried by the caddy and provided with extensions for connecting the same to a wall'plug, or other suitable source of current.

The dust-collectorwithinthe section may be the caddy and which is preferably composed of relatively coarse mesh material such as cloth, wire, netting, matting or the like the purpose of which is to permit air to freely pass therethrough but to prevent direct-contact between the inner bag ,and the wall of the'caddy.

The sections I I and I2 may be separable if desired or may be secured together. Where they are separable the interior of both sections is readily accessible.

The chime ring [3 is provided with two inlets 2i and 22 communicating with the suction pipes C and D respectively. Within the ring 13' is mounted the removable and rotatable valve cap member B. This cap includes a funnel 23 having a reduced neck 24 to which the mouth of the cleaner bag l9 may be detachably secured as by a rubber band, string, spring or like flexible element. The funnel is provided with a side opening 25 to communicate with opening 2| or 22 of the ring or chime l3 according to the angular position of the valve cap of which the funnel forms a part.

The valve likewise preferably includes a transparent top 26 through which the operator may look and observe the quantity of dust entering the cleaner. The valve or cap with the cleaner bag attached may be removed to permit replacement of the bag where a paper bag is employed or to permit emptying of the bag where a cloth bag is used. The valve is shown partially removed in Fig. 7.

The function of the transparent top is to per-- mit the operator to see the character of the material which is being drawn into the cleaner and to determine the quantity of dust entering the same. Consequently it is of importance that this cap should be visible at all times and close to the eye of the operator. For this purpose it is located at the top of the body member and it is one of the features of the present invention that the handle portion of the cleaner is so arranged as not to obstruct the visibility of the transparent top.

According to my invention lmproved'means are provided for moving the valve to communicate with the pipe sections C or D according to the angular position of the movable section C. Any suitable means may be employed for this pur*- pose according to the broadest aspects of my invention.

As shown an arm 21 is pivoted to the ring l3 at a position opposite the point where the rotatable pipe 0 enters, both being rotatable about the same axis, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. This arm is connected to the pipe C by means of a clamp 28. The arm 21 is connected to the valve member 23' through a curved link 29 shown in detail in Fig. 10, which is connected to the arm 21 through a ball and socket connection 30 and to the member 23 through a pin 3| carried by the valve member and extending through an opening 32 in the enlarged end 33 of the link.

0n the outside of the ring I3 is carried a, member 24 having a curved slot 35 in which the end 33 of the link rides as the handle 0 and arm 21 are swung to and fro. A guide member 38 preferably resilient, is provided for the pin 3i, said guide forming the slot 8'! between the guide and top of the member 24.

At one end of slot 35 there is provided a release notch 38, normally closed by a spring catch 38 which catch may be retracted to allow removal of the link 28 from the pin it when it is desired to take off the valve cap, as when the cleaning bag is to be removed.

A fiber extension 40 may be'fltted over the swinging portion of the handle C and held airtight by contraction as previously described with reference to the parts of the caddy Ill. Suitable extension devices such as flexible hose and furniture dusting tools or the like, maybe attached to the movable handle -to'permit cleaning of walls, furniture and the like.

The pipe D is shown as curved so that its lower end will be at the upper portion of the cap l8.

This pipe fits into a socket H at the lower end and extension section 45 is also connected to the socket to which section the fioor tool 46 may be detachably secured, such tool being of any desired type as for example that shown in my Patent No. 1,994,868 dated March 19, 1935.

In operation the fan motor or motors are started and dust laden air is drawn into the air filter through either pipe C or pipe D according to the angular position of the movable section C, the movement of this handle being transmitted to the valve 3 through the arm 21 and link 29. The member C also serves as a handle for propelling the apparatus to and fro across the floor. Owing to the lightness of the apparatus itmay be inverted as illustrated in Fig. 8 and the section C applied to the fioor or a suitable ficor tool may be applied to this section.

The cleaner may also be supported in upright position to function as a semi-permanent system as illustrated in Fig. 9. The cleaner may be supported by hose pipe hanger 50 such as shown in my Patent No. 1,884,870 dated October 25, 1932, such hanger carrying a connector member 5| to which a hose extension 52 carrying the furniture dusting tool 53 may be attached.

The. invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration but it will be apparent that variations and modifications may be resorted to as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the inventive thought involved.

I claim:

1. A portable suction cleaner including a cylindrical container enclosing suction producing means at one end and air filtering means at the other, a rotatable valve assembly serving as a cap covering the air filtering end of the con- -tainer, a suction pipe carried by and fixed with reference to the cylindrical container, and another suction pipe carried by the container and movable with reference thereto, both pipes being outside the container and connectible to cleaning tools, and each adapted to be selectively placed in communication with the air filtering means according to the position of said valve assembly, and means connecting the movable pipe section and said valve assembly for actuating the valve when the movable section is actuated.

2. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein the valve assembly and the air filtering means are removable as a unit.

3. A suction cleaner as set forth in claim 1. wherein the suction pipes communicate with openings in a rim at the top of the cylindrical container, within which rim the valve assembly fits. 2

4. In a suction cleaner, a housing containing air filtering means communicating with a source of suction, a pair of suction pipe sections carried by the housing, one being movable and the other fixed with reference to the housing, and both being outside the housing but adapted to be to sources, a pair'o! suction pipe sections external placed in communication therewith, and a rotatable valve assembly covering the air filtering end of the housing connected to and movable by actuation of the movable pipe section to selectively place one or the other of said pipe sections in communication with the source of suction.

5. In a suction cleaner, a housing containing v air filtering means communicating with a source of suction, a rotatable valve assembly covering the inlet end of said housing, apair of suction of suction pipe sections external to said housing communicating with said inlets, and each connectible to cleaning tools, one section being movable, and a valve assembly serving as a cap for said housing, actuated by said movable pipe section and selectively controlling said inlets.

7. In a suction cleaner, a tubular housing for air filtering means, having a pair of radial inlets adjacent the air filtering means for admitting dust laden air from different sources, and a valve member within the end of said tubular housing for controlling the direction of flow of air into the tube, the air filtering means being secured to the valve assembly and removable therewith as a unit.

8. In a suction cleaner, a tubular housing for air filtering means having a pair of radial inlets for admitting dust laden air from diiferent to said housing and-communicating with said inlets, each being connectible to-cleaning tools and one being movable with reference to the tubular housing, and a valve assembly fitting within the air filtering end of the housing for controlling said inlets, said valve assembly being connected to and actuated by said movable pipe section.

9. In a suction cleaner, a tubular body having a pair oi' openings within the chime thereof, all filtering means housed within said bodymembe suction producing means communicating with said air filtering means, and a rotatable transparent topped valve cap assembly for the air inlet end of said body member, said assembly including a ring portion fitting within the chime of the body member, and having an opening therein adapted to be placed in communications; with either of saidchime openings, one of said pipes being movable, and means actuated by movement of said movable pipe for rotating said valve assembly.

10. A suction cleaner including a cylindrical container enclosing suction producing means at'.

one end and air filtering means at the other,

a rotatable cap covering the air filtering end ofthe container, a fixed suction pipe and a movable suction pipe, both pipes being outside the container and connectible to cleaning tools, and each adapted to beselectively placed in communication with the air filtering means according to the position of said cap, means connecting the movable pipe section and said cap and a floor tool connected to the fixed suction pipe.

- DANIEL BENSON REPLOGIE. 

